Duane Wichman-Evans Jr. (born 5 September 2003) is a New Zealand film and television actor. He is best known for portraying Michael Hampton-Rees, a recurring character in the TVNZ 2 prime-time soap opera and medical drama series Shortland Street (2015–2017). Evans also starred as Rotxo, a secondary character in the epic science fiction films Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025). He portrayed Royden in the 2020 action comedy feature film The Legend of Baron To'a, and Pahirua in the 2023 historical drama feature film The Convert. Evans starred as Rhino in the Netflix fantasy drama series Sweet Tooth (2021), as Michael, one of the main characters in the TVNZ+ young adult comedy miniseries Duckrockers (2022), and as Dacus, a recurring character in the Starz historical drama series Spartacus: House of Ashur.
Biography Duane Wichman-Evans Jr. is a New Zealand citizen of Māori and Cook Island descent, belonging to iwi (tribes) of Ngāti Whātua and Ngāpuhi. He grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. His father, Apai Wichman is an older brother of Ngamau Munokoa, a Cook Islands politician, the deputy prime minister from 2003 to 2004, and a former Cabinet Minister. His mother came from the island of Aitutaki in Cook Islands.
Evans begun performing at the age of 3, starring in advertisements and as a child model. His first film role was Tee in a 2011 short film titled Ebony Society directed by Tammy Davis. He also starred in the 2011 documentary film Billy T: Te Movie, in which he portrayed Billy T. James as a child. In 2013, he received the award for the best male actor at the Wairoa Māori Film Festival in Nūhaka, New Zealand, for the role of Jacob in the short film I'm Going to Mum's. Evans starred as young Pi in the 2013 family drama feature film Fantail, and as Rawri in the 2014 sports drama television film The Kick.Christy Quilliam: "Duane Evans Jr.", It's Interval, issue 1: Timeless, 2024, pp. 77–81. From 2015 to 2017, he portrayed Michael Hampton-Rees, a recurring character in the TVNZ 2 prime-time soap opera and medical drama series Shortland Street. Evans also appeared in the television series Tatau (2015), Power Rangers Ninja Steel (2017), and The New Legends of Monkey (2018). He portrayed Royden in the 2020 action comedy feature film The Legend of Baron To'a, and Pahirua in the 2023 historical drama feature film The Convert. Evans also starred as Rhino in two episodes of the Netflix fantasy drama series Sweet Tooth (2021), and portrayed Michael, one of the main characters in the TVNZ+ young adult comedy miniseries Duckrockers (2022). Evans starred as Rotxo, a secondary character in the epic science fiction films Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025). His scenes were filmed between 2017 and 2018. He also starred as Dacus, a recurring character in the Starz historical drama series Spartacus: House of Ashur.
Private life Evans lives in Auckland, New Zealand. He is fluent in English and Māori, and also speaks Cook Islands Māori. Evans is also a competitive kapa haka performer.
Filmography Films Year Title Role Notes2011 Billy T: Te Movie Young Billy T. James Documentary film Ebony Society Tee Short film2013 Fantail Young Pi Feature film I'm Going to Mum's Jacob Short film 2014 The Kick Rawri Television film 2016 Possum Nathan Short film 2017 Tree Kisione Short film 2020 Legend of Baron To'a Royden Feature film 2022 Avatar: The Way of Water Rotxo Feature film 2023 The Convert Pahirua Feature film Inside Pandora's Box Himself Documentary film 2025 Avatar: Fire and Ash Rotxo Feature film
Television series Year Title Role Notes 2006 Style Pasifika Fashion Awards Himself (child model) Television special2012 Marae Himself (segment host) Talk show Nothing Trivial Billy Episode: "Who Was Mad, Bad, and Dangerous?"Pūkana Himself (Māori student) Entertainment show 2014 Himself (guest singer) Entertainment show 2015 Tatau Boy Miniseries; 3 episodes 2015–2017 Shortland Street Michael Hampton-Rees Recurring role; 194 episodes2017 Just Cook: Annual Cooking Competition Himself Television special; game show Power Rangers Ninja Steel Billy Episode: "The Royal Rival" 2018 The New Legends of Monkey Town boy Episode: "The Edge of Nowhere" 2021 Sweet Tooth Rhino 2 episodes 2022 Duckrockers Michael Miniseries; main role; 8 episodes 2025 Spartacus: House of Ashur Dacus Recurring role; 7 episodes
Accolades + Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2013 Wairoa Māori Film Festival Awards Best Male Actor I'm Going to Mum's
References
External links Duane Evans Jr. at IMDb